2017, October 12th They had already boarded the plane and were preparing for take off when Aaron turned to Emily and said, "Make sure she gets home in one piece! I'm sorry, I just can't leave yet." CC was in a daze and he probably wouldn't have left if Emily wasn't on the plane too. It was the way Adele said goodbye, the look on her face, like she didn't expect to see him again, that sent him running back the way they'd come, right back to her. Henry would survive one more night without him. His lips were on hers before she could register that he had picked her up, that he was holding her again. "What do you think you're doing?!" she yelled. "I just didn't like how sad you looked. Couldn't help myself. It's not like there's anything I can do in Terres Somnia tonight," he said, pulling her mouth to his and kissing her again. He felt her body relax, grow comfortable and then she kissed him like he was used to, like nothing else mattered, including that they were still in the middle of a

31st November, 2019 Eyes on me, just me, he seemed to be telling her as he watched her official coronation happen. Aria kept flashing back to the moment Troy had taken the crown, her crown and put it on her head while they were still on the battlefield. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty" and in that moment she understood that this was bigger than her, than her vendetta against Dean. How had he done it? Troy had gotten her to take back her order to crush Warlanda with a few simple actions and two words. And a look. It was the eyes that had sealed the deal, been her undoing. When he looked at her Aria was sure he could get her to do just about anything no matter how much it hurt, no matter how angry she was. She'd been nervous about dressing up and attending a formal coronation and rightfully so. Even as he watched her now, as they watched her now, there were people in that very throne room who wanted her dead. They'd have to go through him before they got to her though. Just like he'

2020, February, 14th Had she noticed that he went a little nuts when she left the bed without him? That his mind went right back to the night that she and Ethan were taken from him? Because he knew she was already awake, had been for a while, but she didn't try to move, stayed perfectly still in his arms. Troy appreciated these little kindnesses, but how long could they live like this? She didn't look unhappy. In fact Aria had told him a million times now that her home was with him and Ethan, not in a castle, not in Sartis Est or Warlanda, not anywhere but in his arms. He wasn't the same though. Troy didn't know if he could make the woman he loved happy anymore. They hadn't laughed together since Dean died. Her ministers were finally falling in line since his coronation and the official announcement of their engagement, but the deadline for them presenting themselves in Sartis Est as husband and wife was coming up. Her rigid country still demanded he be her official king consort by th